Turning Back the Hands of Time
by Daphne
Summary: Hermione is seeing creepy visions while comedy, romance, and drama appear in the first five parts of this fic. I'll be reposting parts 6 and 7, making them better than before (like what I did to this) so please! R/R!!! Thanks! ~~Daphne
1. Turning Back the Hands of Time 1-5

A/N: Okay, I've decided to start reposting, and believe me, part 8 is definitely coming along!If you read this, review it.I compiled the parts to save ff.net's memory!This is just getting so spiffin' long!It also makes easier reading, and etc.It's parts 1-5 (I didn't put 6 in there 'cause 5 is a easier number to work with, just to let you know, it's out there!), so read on man~!~

Turning Back the Hands of Time 1/?

"It's really too bad you stopped taking Divination!I mean, right now, we're learning, and we don't need our Inner Eye for it…like "signs" that tell you the future.It's actually really fun!"Ginny squeaked as she and Hermione made their way to the common room after dinner.

"Divination is pure sap.Hardly anyone are real divinators, and when they do come along, they shouldn't have to take lessons too much."Hermione concluded, stepping through the portrait hole._What a sap, Ginny is being.All this divination could go to your head.I swear, it could be used as a torture device!_

"Well if you change your mind…I'd be glad to teach you stuff!" She offered, dropping her books on the table with a bang.

"Umm…no thanks.I'll stick with practical subjects."Hermione took out a scroll of parchment, rolling her eyes, and began her essay for Defense against the Dark Arts about how people become ghosts.Quite an easy essay, they were just reviewing things from previous years.

"Hey, what are you doing?"Harry pulled up a chair and folded his arms on the table.

"The essay.You?"She nonchalantly replied, dipping her quill in metallic silver ink.

"Nothing!I finished that earlier before quidditch practice. He led the conversation, switching his attention to her ink."Cool ink." 

"Thanks."She titled her paper and began to write quickly, her perfect script becoming smudged with the occasional sweep of her hand; the downside of being left handed.

"You look like you're turning into metal!" Harry laughed, pointed at her hand, which was skimmed with silver ink.

"Can't be perfect all the time, now can we?"She smirked, then shook her head, assuming a look of horror.She gasped, covering her hand in mock-insanity."You discovered my secret!"

"I'm sure, Tin Man!"He ducked avoiding a slap from her general direction."Just kidding!"

"I know…I just, just need to concentrate." She stuttered, finishing her third paragraph.

"Are you asking your guest to leave?How rude!"He snuffed and quivered his jaw.

"Harry…look, I'm almost done.Now what do you want?" Hermione snapped, throwing her hands to the side.

"I don't know…how 'bout a date to the festival?"Harry looked innocent and childish as he shrugged.

"Are you asking me?Surely Cho Chang didn't turn you down?"She was purely shocked._Good lord!I was just asked to the dance!What should I say?What if he's kidding?_"Why me?I mean, well, you know…" Words spilled out of her mouth uncontrollably, not realizing how degrading it sounded.

"Who else would I ask?She isn't my type anyway."He shrugged.

"Well, I don't see why not!Anyway, I need a date too!I guess you'll have to do as a backup…" She smirked.

"Wha- who is the other guy?"He asked, eyes as big as dinner plates.

"I think that first year Hufflepuff is looking mighty hot!"Hermione joked, thinking of the child that accidentally fell on the Sorting Hat after tripping on the stairs on the way to the chair.Poor kid!

"Oh, well I'm no competition.He's only five years younger than you!" He added sarcastically."I only hope he says no!"

"Only, Harry?" There was a pause, "I need to concentrate!"She dipped her finger in some ink and painted a smile on his cheek.He, realizing she was drawing on him, tried to wipe it off furiously.

"Gerroff!" He flailed his arms, wiping his face.The smiley face was now a huge smudge."'Mione!What'd you do that for?"

"I love you too!"She added, gathering her things and skipping all the way up to her room.Ginny followed her, and closed the door once she stepped inside Hermione's room.

"WHAT A FLIRT YOU ARE!"Ginny screeched, giggling.

"I just couldn't resist!What can I say?"She shrugged, shaking from internal laughter.

"You could say that you and Harry flirt soooooo bad!What else would you like to add?"She smiled, putting her hands on her hips.

"That Parvati should be jealous!She's been mooning over him all week trying to get him to ask her to the dance.She's too thick-headed to realize Dean Thomas has been hero-worshipping her for the past three years…People these days!"Hermione recalled the gossip of the past few days.

"And did you hear Ron and Lavender got back together…Again?After all they said…" Ginny remembered, hurdling over the bed post to bounce gracefully on Lavender's bed.

"I thought they both said they were through!I can remember just yesterday Ron saying how much he hated her, and Lavender looking up a curse to put on him!"Hermione giggled again, repeating the event.

"Hey, what my crazy brother does is definitely a mystery to me!"

"Well, I have to go downstairs for my nighttime coffee…I'll see you at breakfast!" Hermione opened the door and stood at the threshold.

"Your nighttime coffee?Do you want to be awake all night?"Ginny asked, confused.

"No!It puts me right to sleep…weird, huh?"Hermione rambled down the stairs, bringing her favorite smiley face mug with her, remembering Harry's cheek before he smudged it.

*

"Darn that Professor Snape!"Ron slammed his fist against the wood table.This was followed by a "Shh!" by the librarian, and he shook his head.

"I totally agree.I think a six foot essay in two nights is a bit much…even for the people with large handwriting!"Hermione and Harry sidled up to their table and pulled up two chairs.

"I thought you had quidditch practice, Harry!" Lavendar inquired, unscrewing the cap to the violet colored bottle of ink.

"Rescheduled…Something is wrong with some other player's brooms, they don't work at all…I'm just glad I keep my broom in a safe place…" Harry explained, opening his Potions book and flipping to the correct page.

"That's too bad…or good.This is a good chance to get started on the Potions essay!After all, you'd be smoking at the ears if you only had one night to finish it!"Hermione rationalized. She went to grab her Potions book from her stack of literature, but the second she touched it, a freezing cold swept over her and her eyes slammed shut.Her stomach dropped farther and farther, and an image began swirling into view.

It was suddenly cold, no longer feeling the warmth of the library fire.A heavy mist had befallen the area; a forest of dead trees were all around her.Hermione was running away from something…She didn't know what, she just knew it was bad.She recklessly avoided tents and dead bodies.Everything was in a different shade of gray, and someone was calling her name…

"Hermione!Hermione, are you all right?"Her eyes snapped open like rubber bands to face Harry, shaking her.

"I'm…I'm fine.Fine, just fine."She took out her book and began furiously flipping pages.

"Wait!Wait…You're sweating…What happened?"He persisted, closing her book and scanning her expressions.

"I'm fine.It's awful hot it here, that's all.I better go back…Get a drink of water"

He sighed as she briskly walked away… wondering what had happened.

**

End Part One

~*~

Turning Back the Hands of Time 2/?

Sub-titled: Testing Parvati's Potion on Unwilling People is a No-No

The next week passed by with little to no snags.Harry and Hermione avoided eye contact, Ron and Lavender broke up and got together twice, and the world rotated without a squeak or need for God's WD-40.However, on that Tuesday, all was to change…

"Oh, but Lavender!You take everything too seriously!" Ron pleaded through mutters in Potions.

"Me take everything too seriously?You need to tone down the sarcasticness."Lavender whispered while applying a light purple shade of eyeshadow.

_Unbelievable, _Hermione thought, _Professor Snape hasn't even acknowledged their presence, no less notice they're whispering quite loudly!_

"And you will be graded on your Topsy-Turvy Potion at the end of the period.We may even test it on someone…" Snape added evilly.

The Topsy-Turvy Potion switched the minds of two people for 24 hours.Hermione doubted he would ever test it on someone…It's way too dangerous.

"I simply cannot believe they didn't get caught!" Hermione said, amazed.

"Who?" Harry asked, being oblivious to the world around him.

"Ugh!Never mind…Hand me that broiled Drazil blood." She demanded, switching her attention instantly.

He handed her the fuschia vile without speaking.There was a long, uncomfortable silence between them.Hermione listened to Ron and Lavender snip, and watched Dean make lovey-dovey eyes at Parvati.Their potion turned out brilliant neon blue, glowing like a planet.

"Ah…I think it's nearing the end of our time…Whose potion should we test?"His beady eyes zipped around the room, glancing at every student's cauldron.Everyone truly hoped he didn't pick Neville's, whose was a mucky pink and burping.

"How about…Dean and Parvati's, since Dean had so much time to look at other things, it must have been done perfect, right?Now which two people would like to volunteer?"

Obviously no one raised his or her hand.

"No hands?" He sneered."How about Ron and Lavender.Will they have as much to talk about once they've switched?"

Hermione gasped.Surely he wouldn't…

Ron and Lavender glared at each other for getting into this mess.They gasped simultaneously, eyebrows lifting in disbelief.

"But Professor, you can't!"

"Oh, but I will.Get down here, please…" It was an absolute shame for both.They made their way very slowly down the middle aisle.

"Well what could you possibly be waiting for?I am positive that this is the highlight of your days…" Snape seemed purely pleased.

When the pair finally reached the front of the room, the professor blurted out instructions.

"Now hold hands!Oh, it's not like you don't do it all the time…And drink this when I say three!"He handed them two identical wooden ladles with the blue brew inside.

"One… two… three!"

They drank it like medicine: gets it over with 'cause it tastes bad.The two were enveloped in a neon light, and once it had subside to a golden glow, Lavender, no, Ron in Lavender's body, was the first to speak.

(Okay, for the sake of confusion, when I say **Ron**, I mean Ron in Lavender's body.When I say**Lavender**, I mean Lavender in Ron's body.When I say **"Ron"**, I mean Ron's body (but Lavender's mind), and when I say **"Lavender"**, I mean Lavender's body (but Ron's mind), kay?I'm sorry, but I think you'll figure it out.SORRY!!!)

"You're so short!How can you stand it?Ugh…" Ron crossed his arms.Once Snape called dismissal, Ron stormed out of the room.It took Lavender a little longer, because she bumped into the doorframe with her new height.

Hermione gave Harry a weary look and followed the sobbing Lavender into the corridor.

This was the first time she had ever seen "Ron" cry.Even though she knew it wasn't Ron, just Lavender in Ron's body, it was weird.He had always kept his manliness, no matter how sad the situation.Lavender, on the other hand, sobbed at things that aren't even sad, like a child running through a carnival with a balloon.She would also burst into tears if the kid accidentally let go of the balloon.She was the Drama Queen of Gryffindor, no competition.

Hermione couldn't see how Ron and Lavender could like each other.When they were together, they were as happy as clams, but when they weren't…chaos is an understatement.Two totally different people…so infatuated with each other.It was too insane, even for Hermione.

She patted Lavender's back, pulling her into a hug."Hey, it's only 24 hours…It's not that bad!"Her "comforting words" weren't so comforting to Lavender.She burst into another round of tears.Hermione sat on the windowsill, and a chilling breeze swept up her hair.Her eyes closed instantly, and she was drawn to the scene…

She was running from something… avoiding the screams and bursts of flames.She ducked into a tent and saw a man turn around…She screamed._Oh God, _she thought, _This is it!This is the end!I am going to die here!_

"Hermione!What's wrong?" Lavender dried her tears enough to take care of her friend, who was slumped against the wall under the windowsill.

"Sorry…nothing.Nothing's wrong.I just didn't get enough sleep last night… that's all.Let's go to lunch, shall we?"

Lavender shrugged as they grabbed their stuff and headed into the Great Hall.

*

Sleeping arrangements were another of their problems.McGonagall forbid boys sleeping in the Girl's Dorm and vice-versa, but this was definitely an exception. Since Snape was so kind as to not tell any other teachers of their switch, the four were in charge of persuading all of their teachers of the change.When "Ron" tried to go into the girl's bathroom, Filch caught her and demanded she use the boy's restroom…quite an experience.But since they hadn't had transfiguration that day, they had to make McGonagall let them sleep in opposite dorms.Thank goodness she was so understanding.

Hermione went downstairs for her nighttime coffee at 10 o'clock, this time with her "Transfiguration Fans of England" mug, that switched shapes when you put something in it.There she met up with Ron, drinking his 17th mug of Stress Relieving Tea.He would walk around on 3" platform shoes, and when he couldn't reach a desired object, he'd loudly curse Snape.This would normally be quite funny, but she had to be nice to her bedraggled friend.

"Hey Lav… I mean Ron.Guess what?Only 14 hours left!Almost half over!"She grinned and put in a rounded teaspoon of instant de-caf in her mug, waiting for the water to get hot.She took a second glance at him.This was the first time she'd ever seen "Lavender" without an ounce of makeup.Even while she slept, she wears a mud mask.Ron had obviously washed it off.Hemione smiled.

"What 'choo smiling at?You think it's funny that I'm stuck in this short person's body, namely Lavender?You think it's funny that I look down and my nails are painted magenta?And you must think it hilarious that when I try to run my fingers through my hair, they get tangled in this wavy blonde mess? HUH?"He slammed his fist on the table, accidentally breaking a nail.He obviously didn't realize how painful it really was, and let fly a string of words that made the first years gasp in shock.

"Ronald Weasley!Calm yourself down this instant!I was smiling because this is the first time I've ever seen Lavender without makeup!Sor-ry!"She snapped, wondering if Lavender was having as much trouble as he was.

In fact, Harry was having just as hard of a time as Hermione.He met up with Lavender in the library, and she instantly began complaining.

"Err!Ron has probably chopped my hair short by now!I wonder how hideous I look?It was his entire fault…he got us into this mess!Him and his sarcasticness" She buried her face into her hands.

"You mean sarcasm?"Harry offered.

"Whatever!Anyway…what was I saying?"She asked; acting as dumb-blondish as you could get.

"Err…how much you hate Ron?"

"Yeah.Well, he is too tall!I run into things left and right!Did I mention his hair?I just cannot imagine how he can stand the bangs in his face!Gosh, I just can't get over my appearance when I look in the mirror!Speaking of mirrors, why don't they have any in the boy's restroom?"

"Umm…" Harry smirked.

"Well they should!"She cut him off.

"Well it's only…" He checked his watch."Thirteen hours and thirty minutes until it's all over!"

"ONLY THIRTEEN AND A HALF HOURS?WHY THAT'S NOT EVEN-!"She freaked.

"LAVENDER!You'll sleep through eight hours of it!It will be over before you know it!"

"Oh.Well tell me if Ron starts glowing neon yellow anytime before that, kay?"She made her way out of the library, leaving Harry to study for his Astrology exam.

**

"What time does Lavender usually wake up?"Ron asked Hermione while headed up to his dorm.

"Well, she'll surely want to do your makeup…I'll tell her you'll meet her here at 6:30.That should leave enough time-"

"SIX THIRTY?THE PROFESSORS AREN'T EVEN UP THAT EARLY!"

"Hey, she usually wakes up at five."She silenced him with a glare."It leaves enough time for hair, makeup, clothes, and a debrief for both you and her!Except she won't need makeup…"

"Okay, give her the message!"He raced up the stairs.

Hermione went up to her room to find "Ron" with his face covered in a green clay mask and cucumbers over his eyes.

"What're you doing?" She asked, shocked.

"I think Ron will care if breakouts haunt him!" Her theory stated.

Hermione sighed.It was going to be a long thirteen hours!

***

It was in Transfiguration the next day when the room was filled with a bright orange light, disturbing McGonagall from her lesson.Ron and Lavender's glow went out, and she stood bolt upright.

"HOME!"She yelled, and proceeded to redo her entire face with makeup.

Ron smiled and pulled her into a big hug.Even the professor's heart melted.When McGonagall finally came back to her senses, she walked over to their table muttering, "Now, now…Wait for after class…"

Hopefully, this would be the last chaos in a while!How wrong that was…

End Part Two.

~*~

Turning Back the Hands of Time 3/?

Subtitled: Practical Jokers Must Eat Bananas!

"This particular disappearing charm only lasts only for thirty seconds, as longer disappearing spells take more effort.The invisibility charm found in objects like invisibility cloaks was made by a wizard in the eighteenth century, however, he didn't write it down, so no more were ever made besides the first two thousand.Only about five hundred remain today…quite a precious item.Anyway!The charm is _Apperendicium Dicanxi._Okay?You may practice on the objects in front of you, just be careful where you point your wand!"Professor Flitwick was teaching them an interesting charm, a week after the Topsy-Turvy incident.

That day, they had double Charms with Slytherins.It was a good thing they weren't learning anything that could cause physical pain…Millicent Bulstrode was furious at Hermione for accidentally spilling a bowl of ketchup on her robes…Of course, Draco Malfoy was always out to get any of them!

"Apperendicium Dicanxi…" Hermione muttered under her breath.Which object should she make disappear?She chose the golden ball, and said the spell loudly.It flickered, but nothing much happened.

At least she was having a better time than Lavender!She was repeating the words loudly, but instead of disappearing, the hat she was testing began to glow and levitate slightly."Ooh Ron!Look!How nifty!"

Hermione sighed and tried again.This time, it did nothing.It was going to be a long lesson.

On the other side of the room, Parvati was mentally preparing herself before actually trying it.Aiming the wand in the direct center of the toy car she was planning on using, she squeezed her eyes shut and nodded her head.

_What a dork…_Seamus thought, glancing at his partner.He twirled his long wand in his fingers, deciding this would be useless.

"Ap-per-en-dic-ium Di-can-" On the last syllable, Pansy Parkinson decided to run into Parvati, who was concentrating very hard on her item.This caused Parvati to move the point of her wand from the middle of her toy car to…Seamus.

A beam of white light was shot out of her wand, pointed directly at Seamus's robes.Before he had a chance to duck, it zapped him, leaving him naked except for a pair of plaid boxers.The Slytherin side erupted with laughter. The Gryffindor side sighed.

Even Ron had never blushed that color of red.Hermione felt so sorry for him!

"Only twenty more seconds Mr. Finnigan.Don't worry about it…" Professor Flitwick squeaked.All of the Slytherins were still cracking up.

Blaise Zambini was in tears of laughter by the time Seamus had his robes back on.He was furious.

"Hey, at least Parvati got the charm right for once!"Ron patted him on the back, grinning.

"Yeah, and it's good that she didn't take the boxers with 'em!"Lavender giggled.

Seamus nodded.The other side of the room had toned down to the occasional cackle, but otherwise, it was almost forgotten.Almost.

At lunch, Draco would occasionally cross his arms over his shoulders and look shocked while the table laughed.It was a nuisance for everyone…

"There you go…Looking pitiful, just because I let you go…" Cho sang the words to "There You Go" by Pink.She had recently thrown a fit in front of the entire school and loudly broken up with Draco.Most Gryffindors and Ravenclaws think that she was just using him to win quidditch matches, but…It's just a rumor.

Cho was one of Hermione's good friends.However intimidating she may be, she is very nice most of the time.

"He is pretty pitiful…scrawny describes him to a T."Lavender smiled, resting her head on Ron's shoulder.

"Yeah, I bet he couldn't bench press 10 pounds!"Dean laughed, glancing slightly at his biceps.

The rest of lunch was small talk.They separated, leaving in opposite directions, except for Harry, Ron, and Seamus.Ron had stopped them in the hall.

"Hey…wait up!What are you doing over the winter holiday?"Ron asked the two other boys.

"You know what I'm doing!Staying here, of course.Why would I want to go to the Dursley's?" Harry replied.

"I'm staying… my parents are going on a cruise and I'm not quite invited!"Seamus laughed.

"Well, me too.Listen, I think it is time we had some humor around this place…everything has been too serious!And I think there are some girls in Gryffindor that we need to give some payback…" Ron smiled evilly, a gleam of mischief shining in his eyes.

"What do you mean?" Harry asked.

"Well…I know you've wanted to play a practical joke on Hermione for years now, I mean…who wouldn't?And Seamus must want revenge for the thing that happened in Charms…And I need to get Lavender for the Topsy-Turvy incident…What do you think?Operation: Get the Girls?"

"Well…" Harry smirked, a similar smile sliding across his face.

"I DON'T SEE WHY NOT!" Seamus finished for him, grinning from ear to ear.

"Well, meet me in the common room before dinner.To talk about it, I mean."

They went their separate ways, each wondering what would happen…

*

"So everyone knows what they're doing?"It was the morning before Winter Holiday started.Ron, Harry, and Seamus were dressing in black.Harry was bringing along the invisibility cloack, for safety purposes and getting there and back.

It was one in the morning, but they were wide awake.Armed with everything they'd ever need to pull a prank on someone, they left their dorm to begin an adventure…

**

"Mmmm…winter holidays."Lavender rolled over in her bed.The morning daylight had crept into her eyes, as well as the other girl's.

Hermione sat up, looking around.It must be a dream…must be!She lied down again, and went back to sleep.

Two hours later, she awoke to a scream.Lavender was sitting straight up in her bed, watching the books flying around the room.But it couldn't have been Lavender…She had green hair!In fact, not only her hair was green, her nails were green, her eyes were green, her lips were green…she looked like an alien!But what were the books doing flying around the room?

Harry, Ron, and Seamus were pressing themselves to the opposite side of the door, listening to what was going on inside.

"LAVENDER!YOUR HAIR…" Parvati yelled.

"What about it?"She pulled out her compact and almost fainted on the spot, after ducking from a bombing book.

"MY HAIR!!!MY HAIR IS GREEN!What- What happened?"She yelled.

Hermione looked to her bedside table, to her bookshelves, to the floor…There was nothing.Just a barren side of the room.No sheets were even on the bed!No books were on the bookshelves, no clock on the bedside table; no nothing.

"WHAT HAPPENED TO MY STUFF?"She screeched, looking under her bed, running her hands through her shelves, opening all her drawers.There was nothing there.No, I lied.There was a piece of pepperoni from a party held there before Hermione was born.What a gift!

Parvati seemed to be swimming in whip cream.She was covered in the stuff!And it wouldn't come off!This wasn't funny…no, not at all.

Hermione jumped up, realizing…"HARRY POTTER, RON WEASLEY, AND SEAMUS FINNNIGAN COME HERE THIS INSTANT!"When she heard no reply, she dived on a book (realizing the ones flying around the room were hers), and forgot about the boys for the moment.

Lavender opened her makeup cases and found all of it was green.She opened her closet to find all of her clothes neon green.There was only one person that could have done this.

Hermione had spotted her clock, hiding in the upper corner of her bedroom, and was telling it to come down this instant.Parvati was fruitlessly trying to wash off the whip cream (which seemed to be waterproof), and Lavendar was brushing her hair, wondering if the green would ever come out.

Hermione walked over to the door, hearing snorts coming from the other side.She grasped the door handle and yanked it open, with Harry, Ron, and Seamus tumbling into their room.

Hermione thought of a quick spell."Wingardum Leviosa Centeria!"She pulled their wands from their inside pockets as they levitated to the center of the room

"Girls!"She stopped Lavender from screaming and made Parvati turn off the water."We found the practical jokers."

Lavender scowled as Seamus couldn't hold back the giggles.

"First of all, you have to get this whip cream off…" Parvati started.

"NO!First you have to put all my stuff back!"Hermione interrupted.

"NO!All of you are wrong!Turn everything back to their normal color! Mine is the worst!"

This began a squabble between the girls, fighting which is the worst.The suspended boys watched in amazement.

Seamus was the one to break the silence."WE CAN'T!"

The girls turned around."What?" They said in unison.

"Like he said, we can't.It lasts 24 hours…until two in the morning tonight…sorry!" Harry finished.

"We got you this time, huh?" Ron smirked.

"WHAT?"Hermione scowled."Okay girls, conference in the bathroom.They aren't going anywhere."

Ten minutes later, they emerged from the bathroom smiling.Just as Hermione said, the boys didn't go anywhere.How could they?

"So it lasts twenty four hours, right?" Lavender asked.

"Yeah…'Till two this morning." Ron filled in the blanks.

"Well, until all this stuff it back to normal…" Parvati started.

"You stay right where you are."Hermione smiled, and opened the door.

"We'll bring you a banana!"Lavender skipped out the door, green hair and all.Parvati closed the door behind her and locked it with a key.

Harry and Seamus turned to Ron."THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT!" Ron groaned.It would be a long day…

****

"Ms. Brown!Your hair…!"Professor McGonagall was amazed as the three girls walked into the Great Hall.

"Ms. Granger?I don't think it's appropriate that you wear that nightgown out of your dorms…" Professor Flitwick squeaked.She had to admit, it was skimpy, being a gag gift from Harry and Ron.She never wore it, but all her others were in the wash.At least it wasn't…too see through.

"Parvati!You've turned into a strawberry shortcake!"Dumbledore smiled as he looked over the girl covered in whip cream.

"I hardly think you should be smiling at this sight Headmaster…it's not funny at all…" Snape pointed out to the smiling man.

"Oh, I think it's funny enough…Someone has been playing a joke on these three…I can hardly blame them, after all, we need some humor in this castle again!So where are the three jesters?" Dumbledore grinned from ear to ear.

"Suspended in midair in our rooms…we're bringing them a banana… Later on.They need to suffer for what they've done.I mean, look at us!" Lavender smirked.

"Ah, I see, well sit, sit…I highly doubt the whip cream is going to wipe on the chairs after all you've tried to get it off…Sit.Maybe we should bring Harry, Ron, and Seamus down here so they could enjoy a zero gravity breakfast?"He snapped his fingers and the three boys appeared over the table, looking thoroughly confused.

"Well, isn't anyone going to pass me the eggs?"Ron asked huffily.

Everyone laughed.Dumbledore approved of their punishment, except they just had to be suspended in midair, not necessarily in the girl's room.Everything was restored to order at two that night, and all was peaceful for the time being.

Disclaimer: I, in no way, shape, or form, own any of the characters, places, and/or things in J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter books, owned by Bloomsbury Press.Please don't sue!

P S:I'll love you forever if you review this!!! 

End Part 3/?

~~Daphne

~*~

Turning Back the Hands of Time, Part 4/?

Subtitled: Mistletoe at New Year's Day Festivals = Love!

"IT'S TONIGHT!THE FESTIVAL IS TONIGHT!" Lavender woke Hermione up at seven o'clock in the morning, dancing around the room.

"Tonight?"Hermione rubbed her eyes."TONIGHT!I forgot all about it! Oh my gosh Lav, I must go get a dress!Please help me!"Hermione pleaded, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.

"Oh no problems there!"She bounced over to Hermione's bed."I don't have a dress either!"She whispered, giggling.

It was a good thing it was a Saturday, and that they already had a Hogsmeade field trip planned!Hermione raced around the room, quickly getting dressed, and headed down for breakfast at 7:30.

"Well I didn't expect to see you two up this early!Especially on a Saturday!Ms. Brown, you aren't even punctual on school days, why start now?"Professor McGonagall welcomed them into the Great Hall with a smile.

"Oh, we have to get off to an early start, we must go shopping!After all, tonight is the festival, and we seem to have nothing to wear."Lavender giggled.

"Well, I thought you were the one requesting extra closet space because you have too many clothes!What happened?Did you give it all to the Wizard Donation Center?" The professor put her hands on her hips.

"Oh, but they've seen everything in my closet before, and I don't have too many fancy dresses…We must eat quickly so we can head down to Hogsmeade with the teachers!"Lavender pulled Hermione over to the Gryffindor table and immediately scarfed down a bowl of oatmeal and a scoop full of eggs.

"Lavender!How do you manage to eat so quickly?" Hermione asked, only on her bowl of oatmeal.

"It is a refined art.Hurry up!"

Fifteen minutes later, they were heading out the door with Professor McGonagall, Professor Snape, Professor Whittle (The newest Defense against the Dark Arts teacher), and Professor Flitwick.Upon arrival, Lavender dragged Hermione to the best stores, money jingling in their pockets.

"First, we must go to Madame Laurena's Department Store…it sells designer clothes at 1/2 of the price.Then, we can get accessories at Greta Moore's Fine Jewelry and Etcetera.Makeup and hair should be done last at that one salon on Lilac Avenue…" Lavender planned their day trip.

"Well, what are we waiting for?Let's get a move on!"Hermione giggled as they made their way all over town.

"Ooh, that dress is truly flattering…it works perfect with your figure!" Lavender commented on Hermione's beautiful gown.It was a burgundy silk tube dress that puffed out after the fitted waistline just perfectly.(This is the dress that Hermione "wears to the Oscars" on Mena Baine's website) It came with a shawl to match.It was just brilliant for the occasion… at a great price.

Lavender had decided on a lavender spaghetti strap cocktail dress.It went a few inches above the knee, making it flirty enough for her.

The next store got them a purse and borrowed a pearl necklace each, quite stunning on both of them.At the salon, Hermione got a modernized version of a bun.Lavender went with a French twist, but they both got makeovers.

After rushing to Hogwarts before anyone could see them, they rested against the back of their door, exhilarated.Parvati was gone, and no one was to bother them for a while.

"I told you it was a good idea to get an early start.Now we have to get ready… it shouldn't take us long."Lavender sighed, checking her watch and gasping.

"What time is it?"Hermione asked.

"Five forty-five…" Lavender looked at Hermione with eyes as large as dinner plates.

"THE DANCE IS AT SIX!"The immediately began to rush around the room, with the occasional "Will you zip my dress up?" or "Fasten the clasp to this necklace for me, please!"In ten minutes, they were more than ready.

Hermione looked at herself in the mirror, looking better than she expected.

Lavender had rambled down the steps a minute ago. Harry was probably waiting for her at the bottom of the stairs.She should go.

She hesitantly grasped the doorknob. Why was she so scared?She became confident once again, and opened the door, slowly walking down the steps.

There he was.In a tux!He looked… there was no other way to describe it: gorgeous.He smiled, lending her his arm.They clambered out of the portrait hole, and made their way down to the Great Hall, where everyone was dressed quite fancy and mingled with the crowd.

"Harry!Hermione!You look stunning!Absolutely!What a party, huh?" Cho parted the people surrounding them to greet her friends.She was wearing a dress with a side cut up to the top of her leg.It was black and very slinky, even for Cho.

"As do you, Cho.Dressed to impress, I see?" Harry commented, glancing at Draco, who was at the other end of the room.

"No, just to make someone jealous!"Cho grinned evilly as they all looked at Draco, who was having a good time none the less.

"I hope you succeed!Come one Harry, we should get some punch."Hermione and Harry made their way to the punch table, where they found Seamus, grinning like a madman.

"Too much punch, Seamus?"Hermione gave a funny look to the hiccupping Seamus, who was flirting with Professor Trelawny.

"Oh, nah.One can never have too much punch, plus, it's non-alcoholic!"He slurred, pouring himself another glass.

"Right…Look!There's Ron and Lavender!" Harry said loudly, finding an excuse to get away from him.

"Hermione!I haven't seen you in forever!"Lavender said sarcastically. Hermione giggled.

"Have you seen Seamus?Quite the… drunk, isn't he?"Ron sad quietly.

"Yeah, we just met up with him, flirting with Professor Trelawny!Very funny, but I bet he'll have a hangover to remember!" Harry smiled.

"You heard what Draco is planning on doing tonight?"Lavender whispered, pulling the four into a circle.

"No, what?" Hermione asked, wondering what Draco could possibly do but be his usual stupid self.

"Throw a fit!In front of everyone, just like Cho did, except a thousand times amplified.And a thousand times worse… planning on calling her a-" Ron explained.

"How babyish!He can be so stupid…It's not like it's been done before…" Hermione interrupted.

"Well, it is only a rumor anyway.It probably won't happen.He doesn't have the guts." Lavender said.

Hermione looked up at the starry sky.This was a New Year's Festival, although it seemed more like a Christmas/New Years Party.Mistletoe was hanging all over the place, and the occasional fireworks would blow up in the sky.It was beautiful.That was the definition of natural beauty: the starry sky.

"Beautiful, isn't it?"Harry whispered in her ear, wrapping his arms around her and swaying to the music.

"Yeah…" She turned around and wrapped her arms around his neck and rested her head against his chest.

They stood there, swaying to the slow music, a few other couples around them.Not many people were dancing, but the few that were looked so good together. It was so sweet.

"Dinner is served!"Dumbledore's voice rang through the Great Hall.They found their seats and ate a marvelous meal, with a choice of chicken, salmon, or steak.It was perfect, as usual.

Harry and Hermione decided to dance again after they were finished.Besides Hannah Abbot and Terry Boot, they were the only ones there.The music ended, and Harry swung his head up to look at the sky.

"We're under the mistletoe." He whispered in her ear, then kissed her.It was their first kiss.

"Hey Ron!Look!"Lavender whispered, pointing at the couple that was almost making out."Ain't it sweet?"

"Well, it's about time!Come one, dance with me."Ron gave her his arm.

"Maybe we could find the mistletoe…" she whispered, giggling.

Before the end of the night, everyone was on the dance floor.Seamus was dancing with Professor Trelawny, Dean had gotten Parvati to dance with him, and Draco never got a chance to carry out his plan, after freak dancing with Cho during a slow song.It was… disturbing.

"I love you."Harry said, looking at Hermione directly in the eye.

Hermione burst into silent tears.

"What's wrong?"Harry asked.

"Do you really?" She sniffed.

"Why would I lie?I do.I really do."Harry pulled her into a hug.

"I love you too."Hermione smiled."Love is giving someone the ability to destroy you, but trusting them not to."

"I won't break your heart." He said reassuringly.

"I know."

That night, they made their way up to the common room at midnight.They stood by the fireplace, and Hermione readjusted a candlestick, but it was very hot.Unusually hot.

"Ow!"She said, squeezing her fingers.

"What?" He asked, tapping the base of the candlestick."It's cold!What happened?"

"It's hot!"She tapped the candlestick again, but the second she touched it…

Her eyes closed.She was almost used to this by now!She looked around with her eyes shut, seeing flames all over the place.She felt them too.Flames in the common room!She coughed, smoke clouding her oxygen, and once again, someone was calling her name.

"Hermione!I know something is wrong!What is going on?"Harry demanded.

"Oh Harry!They scare me!The visions…Oh dear God make them STOP!" She started to cry, shaking violently in a state of conciousness.

He held her close."What visions?" He asked calmly, massaging her hair.

"I shouldn't worry you with them…Every so often, I touch something, and I see this scary scene!Every other time, it's been a war, but this time, it was a fire!A fire in this common room!"

"There is no fire here…You may be just scaring yourself.Don't worry about it for now…you aren't going to get hurt with me around, I promise."

"I'm probably just tired.I need to take a shower…get this hairspray out of my hair, makeup off my face…etc.I'll see you in the morning?"She smiled, slowly ascending the steps to the Girl's Dorm.

"Of course.It's Sunday, so we can sleep in…don't worry.No pranks this time."

"I wouldn't say that yet, Harry Potter!"She grinned evilly, holding up her dress and racing up the stairs.

He turned around laughing, making his way upstairs.

Hermione slammed the door into her room shut, falling back against it.What had she just gotten herself into?

She said she loved him.She had given her heart to him, he had it in his hand.But was he delicate enough not to break it?This meant they were a couple.What would Lavender think?

She climbed into her shower and leaned against the wall, thinking.Was this the right decision?He said he loved her…he loved her.She had his heart, too.Or did she?

This was all way too confusing.It was way too much for her mind.She would think about it in the morning.

Once she got to sleep! Lavender still wasn't back by two, and she fell into a restless sleep after taking four times the recommended amount of Bertha Bombers Quick Insomnia Fixer Elixer.

Sleep was the last thing she should have been worrying about.

Disclaimer:I do not own any of the characters, places, or things mentioned in J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series, owned by Bloomsbury Press.Bertha Bomber's Quick Insomnia Fixer Elixer belongs to Gretchen/Amy Bell.Sorry Gretch!Don't sue me please!

*End Part 4/?*

~~Daphne

~*~

Turning Back the Hands of Time 5/?

Part A: Love

"Harry!There you are!I was worried about you for a minute!" Hermione squealed, running from the post office to Harry.He approached her with open arms, and embraced her tightly.

"I'm sorry I'm five minutes late!Sheesh Hermione!I think time runs in your blood!"He laughed."So what are we going to do today?"They walked hand in hand into the middle of the street.

"I don't know… people watching sounds good!I could go for some ice cream, and we could sit on the beautiful bench near the park and the entrance.That should be perfect people watching!"Hermione suggested.It was a plan.

They made their way to the ice cream parlor, where a man named Mr. Harrods greeted them.

"Ah yes, Harry Potter," he did the "double take" with Harry's forehead, "and, what is your name dear?"

"Hermione Granger." She shook his hand.

"Pleased to meet you.Would you like to buy some ice cream?What kind? We have several hundred flavors to choose from…"

"Rocky Road.It's my favorite, please."Hermione said, turning to Harry for his choice.

"Umm, how about Mint Chocolate Frog?Two scoops.They're both on me."

"Harry!I was the one to suggest it!I should at least pay for my own-" Hermione furrowed her brow.

"They're both on me!It was wonderful to meet you, Mr. Potter, Ms. Granger!I just hope you'll come back and see me!"Mr. Harrods smiled, handing them two cones.

"Are you sure?I mean…" Hermione started.

"I'm positive.See you later!"He smiled as they walked out the door.

"That was nice of him, but I still insist my paying for it next time."Harry nudged Hermione's elbow.

"Okay, fine.Only if you suggest it!" She smiled.

"What kind is that anyway?It doesn't seem to be making your tongue change different colors or anything…" Harry pointed out her normal ice cream.

"It's a muggle flavor.I love it!"She giggled.

"I'm just glad that I don't have someone like Lavender as a date.She won't even touch anything that isn't 'fat free vanilla yogurt please', at best!"They both laughed.Lavender was notorious for several things, and strictly dieting was one of them.

"She's a fanatic.I would never want to take her out to dinner!A salad is all she'd eat!That's all she eats anyway…At school, at least!" Hermione pointed out.

"Yeah, I guess so.There's the bench you were talking about!Let's go sit…maybe someone we know will pass by?"

The next two hours consisted of talking, pointing, and watching.They saw Dean begging Parvati to go out to eat with him, Professor McGonagall chatting with Madame Laurena, who owns the department store in town, and Fred and his girlfriend run into Zonko's.Ron and Lavender stopped by and chitchatted with them for about thirty minutes, then left to find a snack… for Ron, of course.Heaven forbid Lavender has a snack!She may become fat!

"Well Harry, Professor McGonagall will start looking for people to take back in about ten minutes." Hermione stated.They were walking down an empty side street.

"Aw, Hermione!Lighten up a bit will you?" Harry smiled.

"I'll try.Let's not be on time for once, shall we?" She giggled."But what can we do instead of make our way there?I figure we'd be bored."

"I know what we could do!" He gave her a gentle, yet, assertive kiss.She smiled, eyes sparkling, and kissed him back.

Near the entrance, Ron and Lavender were talking.

"Where are they?Hermione is always on time, but I don't see either of them!I mean, McGonagall hasn't really called us all back yet, but still…at least she's always more than ready!" Ron pointed out, looking over the heads of the people around them, trying to spot Harry or Hermione.

"I know what you mean!They probably just got lost in a department store or something!" Lavender pushed it out of her head.

"But Harry hates shopping unless he's actually looking for something!Me too, but that's not the point."

"There they are!" Lavender pointed out the two racing figures.

"Are we late?Are we the last ones here?Is McGonagall looking for us?" The flushed Hermione rattled out question after question.

"Actually, McGonagall is looking for Neville, but you two are still a few minutes late!What happened?" Ron asked.

"We decided to be late for once." Harry smiled.

"OH!" Lavender said loudly, making the people around them stare. "What are you looking at?Nothing here folks!Mind your own business!"The people gradually turned around, back to their own lives.

"Well, we might as well make our way back to Hogwarts." Hermione sighed contentedly.

"Yeah, dinner is going to be served soon.I'm famished!" Ron exclaimed.

"You're always 'famished'!You'll never stop growing!" Lavender began to walk through the exit.

""Wait up!Gosh, you're going to leave us all behind sometime…"

They arrived at Hogwarts soon afterwards, eating a yummy meal consisting of chicken and rice.They went their separate ways; Harry went to the qudditch field, Hermione went to the library and Lavender and Ron went to the common room.

It was a dark night, with only a full moon to light the sky.Harry was practicing new moves all alone.At least, he thought he was alone…

"Hey." A voice said from the shadows.

"Who's there?" He nonchalantly asked, doing a barrel roll.

"Me!" Cho Chang jumped on the bleachers giggling.

"Oh.Hey Cho!Haven't seen you since the festival!" He dived and pulled up, doing a loop-de-loop.

"Come down here!Let me see the Apollo!" She yelled.The Apollo was the newest state of the art broom, two times faster than the Firebolt, and even better control and steering.Harry got it as a Christmas present from Hermione, Ron, Lavender, Parvati, and Seamus.

He landed beside her and handed her the perfect broom.

"Nice…" She admired it.Then, all of a sudden, she kissed him.A hard kiss, very assertive.As Harry tried to back up, she kept moving forward.

Hermione chose that time to look out the window.She saw the kiss and gasped, picking up her stuff and running away.Running fast, so no one could stop her, to the common room where she let no one console her.

Harry pushed Cho away as well as he could while still trying to be gentlemanly.He was nice, but not that nice.He began to yell, demanding authority."Hey!I have a girlfriend!BACK OFF."

"Aww, but Harry!" She ran her fingers through her hair.

"No Cho.Give me my broom back now.I'm leaving." He stormed into the castle and went into the common room, slumping on a couch, silent.

"You were going to keep it from me, weren't you?" A tired voice asked.

"Keep what from you, Hermione?" He looked at her.

"I saw it.I saw it Harry!" She accused.

"What are you-"

"YOU TOLD ME YOU LOVED ME, HARRY!YOU SAID YOU WOULDN'T BREAK MY HEART!I gave it to you!I thought I meant something to you! Obviously, I don't." She screamed.Everyone had raced up the stairs into their dorms leaning against the wall to listen after the first word.

"I do love you!You mean everything to me!This must be a big misunderstanding!" He pleaded, thoroughly confused.

"The kiss.You and Cho.I saw it!" She said from the top of the staircase.

"OH!Hermione, no, listen!Do you know what-"

"I won't listen!We are over, Harry!I can buy my own ice cream from now on, okay?Leave me alone and I hope you and Cho have a crappy life together!"She forcefully pushed open the door, smacking Lavender in the head.

"Owww…" She yelped in pain.

"Shut up and leave me alone.Go 'way." Hermione grumbled, face down in a pillow.

"Tell Lavender all about it.She'll understand." She hopped on a bed beside her.

"No._Go AWAY!_" Hermione sobbed, swatting blindly at her.

"Don't make me use a truth telling spell…" Lavender taunted.It was her specialty.

"Fine, fine…" Hermione rose, red eyed and splotchy."I was in the library, and I looked out the window, and I saw Cho kiss Harry!He's obviously been cheating on me…I don't want to talk about it anymore."

"Are you sure that's what you saw?And you didn't stick around to see what Harry did?"

"I'm pretty sure…but after I saw the kiss, I ran in here.Oh Lavender!He broke my heart!Are you on his side?" Hermione sobbed, falling over sideways into her pillow.

"I'll go talk to him…and if I can get her, Cho too." Lavender raced down the stairs, letting Hermione cry by herself.

"Harry, Hermione tells me you and Cho were kissing in a tree.Is it true?"She muttered a truth telling spell under her breath.As long as they kept eye contact, he would tell the truth.A glaze overpassed Harry's eyes, he became frozen, a powerful cold sweeping through his body violently.He felt like his skull was being ripped off his head and swung back on hinges at his brain.His mouth overflowed with words he couldn't help saying, but didn't seem to mind._At least someone will believe me, _He thought, _even though this is quite painful._

He began, "She kissed me, but I said, 'No Cho, I have a girlfriend.Back off.'Then I ran in here, to find Hermione sobbing, and she told me that she didn't mean anything to me, which is the total opposite, and she wished Cho and I to have a happy, or was it crappy?Anyway, some kind of life together.She won't listen to me either! It's all a big misunderstanding." He blinked, and the charm stopped working.Gasping for air, he rolled his head around and squeezed his eyes open and shut.

"Oh, I see…We're going to have to make her listen, won't we?" She raced up the stairs, and jiggled the knob of the door.It was locked.

"Alohomora!" She said, pointing her wand at it.It didn't budge.

"It won't work.Find somewhere else to sleep, I want to be alone.Tell Parvati, too." A voice said clearly from inside.

"Herm!You can't do this to me!Honey, I need a bed to sleep in and Madame Pomfrey doesn't like people that fake-sick stuff!Herm, come on!Open the door!" Lavender pleaded.

"No.I'm not opening that door for anyone or anything." She snuffed.

"We'll see about that…" Lavender raced down the stairs, grumbling about Stair Masters, and knocked on Professor McGonagall's office.

"Come in!" the familiar voice rang.

"Professor!I need you to open a door, or convince the person inside to open it!Please?" Lavender pleaded.

"Who won't open the door?Don't you know your spells?Alohomora usually works!"

"It isn't.Come tell Hermione to open the door!"

"Okay, fine."

They made their way up the stairs, and the Professor knocked clearly.

"Ms. Granger?It's your professor!Open this door right now please!" She said, slightly annoyed.

"No." She said from inside.

"Hermione…"

_30 minutes later_

"Hermione!Hermione!That is it.I think she's given up saying 'no' to us…where can Parvati and I sleep for the night?" Lavender said, exhausted from all the yelling.

"Come on girls.She must be in some serious state of self pity or something.You may sleep in the guest room for the night… if she isn't out by the morning, we'll contact Dumbledore." McGonagall ushered the two girls down the stairs and into the guestroom.

Hermione was in the shower.She had been there for the past 30 minutes, addicted to it's comfort, warmth, and security.She now sat on the cold tile floor, the warm water hitting her back in a massage-like repetition.Tears streaked her face, and she longed for Harry's comfort, even though she knew she couldn't have it.She had locked that door, also.It was useless, trying to get out.It hurt so badly inside, the water massaged it out.

The tears came endlessly, and she choked back sobs.She was choking on Love.It strangled her throat and twisted her emotions, drawing tears like rain and made her breathing irregular.Love made her cold, even though the water came as soothing.She shivered, goose bumps covering her arms.Love made her scared, of the people that were rapping on the door for the past half-hour, and scared of the shadows in which Love and darkness may lurk.Afraid of the invisible demons Love had created for her.Because of this, she cried.

She cried for the warmth that she used to have.She cried for the kisses that used to be present and available.She cried for the people she refused to let inside to share her pain, and for the breathing that used to be so smooth.Tears came because she wanted the demons to be visible, so she may battle them.She cried for Love.

Love she used to have, but let go.No, she didn't let it go, it let go of her.The Love was still there, but it haunted her.It wasn't the love she wanted.Harry was the Love she wished for, even though it couldn't be there.The Love she used to have was gone forever.

Forever is permanent, as permanent is forever.It was endless, eternity, infinity, ever-present, yet timeless, and perpetual.But overall, it is forever.Not a word she wanted to describe her state-of-being.

So she cried for everything, falling asleep in the shower.She dreamed of fire…all around her… burning her at the touch.Trying to get away, she ran… She ran to Harry.She awoke with no recollection of the dream, in the wee hours of dawn and went to her bed, sleeping until the alarm went off.She got ready for the day ahead.

And she opened the door.Opening the door to plagues, diseases, embarrassment, misfortune, hatred, impurity, but most of all, she opened the door to Love.

Part B: Speak

"You're alive!" Lavender's hyper yet grumpy voice greeted her.

Hermione waved, looking around the common room as if it were a new thing, even though it wasn't.Curiosity struck her like a little child, as she viewed the portraits and things around her.

"What are you looking at?" Lavender asked.

Hermione ignored the question, stepping out of the portrait hole, slowly making her way towards breakfast.Sitting, she reached for the eggs.McGonagall greeted her.

"Why wouldn't you open the door last night?It better be a good reason!" She said, huffily.

Hermione stared at her like a deer stares at an oncoming car, then diverted her attention to her eggs as she tried to get an exact scoop full.

"Well?" McGonagall put her hands on her hips.

Hermione said nothing.McGonagall gave a "huff" and walked away, scolding Frank Foreman for his behavior.

"Hey Hermione, what's up?" Ron grabbed a seat beside her.

She ignored him completely.

"Don't want to talk about it, huh?I understand.You and Harry have gone separate ways, eh?It won't last long."

She shrugged, acknowledging his presence.

During potions, Professor Snape was acting worse than his normal self.

"So with the combination of Grudgeon and Forté, you make a mixture associating with…Anyone know?"

No one raised his or her hands. 

"Hermione Granger?You must know the answer.You're been amazingly quiet today…"

She scribbled something on a piece of paper and held it up.It read "Sleeping Potion".

"What's wrong with your voice?Do you need to go to the hospital wing?"

She tore off another sheet."No" was scribbled in large handwriting.

"Then speak!"

She held it up again.

"I'm going to give you detention if you don't speak!Why won't you?"

She began to scribble furiously on another piece of paper.Everyone leaned over to read it when she held it up."I told you the right answer.I don't have to."Everyone gasped at her courage.

"I told you to speak and you refused.Go to Dumbledore's office right now young lady.Be here for detention at 5 o'clock, got it?" He said menacingly.

She nodded, gathering her stuff, and she walked briskly out the door.Everyone stared.Everyone but one person, who understood her pain.Hermione couldn't speak, or everything would fall apart and drift away with words, and she couldn't let that happen.She couldn't let go of what she had left.She couldn't speak of the only comfort she had, lest it fly away into the mist.

***

"Dear child, what seems to be the matter?" Dumbledore asked, rolling his chair back and forth.

Hermione began to scribble furiously.A minute later, she handed him a piece of paper.It read:

_I don't want to speak.To anyone.And Snape is giving me detention for not… speaking.I wrote down the answer for him!Could you possibly get me out of detention?I don't want to speak._

_ _

__"Why not?" He asked, handing her the piece of paper.

She began to write."Because." She held it up.

"Oh.Well, it isn't permanent, is it?"

"I don't know." It read.

"Well, I'll talk to the Professor.Go back to class with this note saying you are allowed to not speak for the day…Good luck."He handed her a pass and she raced to Transfiguration.She gave Professor McGonagall the pass.

She eyed it warily."I see…sit down." She demanded, handing Hermione the pass.

Hermione went through life in a haze.Blurred thoughts clouded her head, twisting her actions into slow motions.She never smiled, or showed any emotion whatsoever.In the common room, she sat, gazing at the fire, when someone began to talk to her.

"Since you aren't going to talk back, I may as well tell you what really happened last night.You might as well listen, you have nothing to lose…you've obviously lost everything already." It was Harry, sitting down on the couch beside her.

She nodded, turning to him.

"Would you like me to put a truth telling spell on myself?"

She shook her head "No", and waited for his explanation.

"Last night, I was practicing in the quidditch field, when Cho asked me to let her see my broom.I handed it to her, and she kissed me.I tried to back away, but she kept moving forward, and I finally had to shove her off.I told her that I had a girlfriend, and to back off.I left, and you accused me of cheating on you.I would never do such a thing.You mean everything to me.I love you more than anything.Please forgive me!" He said, and kissed her.

It was the kiss she had longed for.It brought back senses, warmth, feeling.It banished the demons, it made her breathing smooth.It gave her happiness, joy, and regret.But most of all, it brought back Love.The Love she wanted.

"Love is giving someone the ability to destroy you, but trusting them not to." She whispered.

"That's why I wanted to give you this."He pulled a velvet case out of his coat pocket.Opening it, it was a diamond heart pendant on a gold chain.On the back was an engraved _H_ on it.She gasped, bringing her hands to her mouth."You now have my heart." He finished.

"You've always had mine." She said, kissing him again.

A/N: This is probably the best part of any story I've ever written.I am asking you to use no part of this fanfic without permission…this one means a lot to me, so I'm asking you politely not to take any.Thanks!On a happier note…how did you like it?Please review!I'll thank you all at the very end, in the very last part! Please?Thanks!

Disclaimer: I own no part of this story except some parts that have nothing to do with Harry Potter.The HP characters, settings, and things all belong to J. K. Rowling and Bloomsbury Publishers.Don't sue me!Thanx!

~*~

Yes another A/N:So whaddya think?REVIEW!!!Thanx!I've got 5 disclaimers in here, publishers, look up for me, kay?WOW!37 pages.Rather proud of m'self.


	2. Turning Back the Hands of Time 6-8

Turning Back the Hands of Time 6/?

_ _

_Burning Bridges_

_The lifelong friends you always had_

_Disappearing wherever you turn_

_The more you try to stop the flames_

_The faster your bridges burn_

_The sunshine that used to flood your life_

_Has turned to a dismal gray_

_And the laughter that used to hang in the air_

_Has simply faded away_

_Where there were many footprints in the sand_

_Now there's just your pair_

_And the burden of walking all alone_

_Is just too much to bear_

_But the pair of footprints in the sand_

_Does not belong to you_

_The times that you thought you were walking alone_

_God was carrying you_

_So when burning bridges are all around_

_And no one seems to care_

_The best friend you could ever have_

_Will always be right there_

_© 2000 Gretchen Bailey_

"In the year 1000, Anno Domini, tragedy struck the land of magic." Professor Binns was actually interesting.It was a miracle.He spoke with animations, thoughts, voice indictions, and he was pleased with his own teaching.The students were in awe.

"Who here knows what the Tragedia War was about?" he asked, looking around the room for hands.As always, Hermione knew the answer.

"Yes Ms. Granger?"

"Vixens teamed up with evil wizards to kill all good witches and wizards and any good creature they came across.Obviously, they lost." She said, smugly.

"That's only half of it, dear… only half of it.It was a long and horrendous battle.Vixens are awful sort…you take a single look into their eyes and you are hypnotized.A whiff of their breath paralyzes you instantly.They have no conscience whatsoever.Perfect evil-doing machines." He paused.The class was listening intently, on the edge of their seats.

"Like I said, it was a long battle, lasting fifty years.The only way you could kill a vixen was if you touched them.They cannot bear the goodness, purity, and life of a good person's skin.They would shrivel up in an instant.Many people died… As did many bad witches and wizards.When we had all the vixens surrounded, they surrendered.We were wearing masks.We couldn't breathe their breath, and did not look into their eyes.The leaders of the good army decided to make their leader sign a blood pact.That is where a drop of their blood on a sheet of paper is as good as a signature, making their people and descendents perform, or in this case, not perform, an act listed on that scroll."He shuffled in his seat.

"It made them banished to an island in the Atlantic Ocean, where they could not kill any living creature or leave the island, as long as the treaty remains.This treaty is held in this very school, but no one knows where it is to this day!Does anyone know who this wise group of leaders were?"

No one raised his or her hands.

"Godric Gryffindor, Rowena Ravenclaw, Salazar Slytherin, and Helena Hufflepuff.Now that's a bit of history I bet you never knew of.You're dismissed."

Everyone stood up shakily.This was the first interesting history lesson they'd ever had!Talking amongst themselves, they left for lunch.

"Wow.I never knew any of that…" Hermione said, shocked and amazed.

"I never thought you'd actually admit to it!" Ron joked, avoiding a slap from her direction.

"Come on guys!I'm hungry…" Harry whined, rubbing his stomach.

"Oh please.You're such a baby!Well, come along then, we don't want to keep the four year old Harry waiting!"Lavender raced ahead.

"Hey!" He said, racing after her.

"Last one there buys drinks!" Ron said, catching up.

"But the drinks are free!"

***

That night, Hermione had the strangest dream.She was walking on an extremely large sand dune in the Sahara Desert, but it was very cold.The Sun spoke to her.

"Would you like me to make it warmer, dear?" It asked, maternally.

"Yes please.Very warm…I like it that way." Hermione said in reply.

"Very well…" The Sun said, and it started to heat up.At first, it felt wonderful, but then it started to get really hot.Hermione was lying in the sand, and was sweating.

"Turn the heat down a little please!" Hermione cried.

The Sun cackled and turned into Professor Snape, yelling, "Warmer!Warmer!Burn her up!"

It got too hot for her liking.She was screaming, and screaming, and screaming…

And she woke up.Looking above her, she thought she was still dreaming, but she could pinch herself, and she felt it.Then how was the sun still burning above her?The sun got larger, and larger, and larger, until Hermione realized…

"My canopy is on fire!" She screamed, throwing away the sash and stepping out of her bed as far as she could.She looked to her side, where Lavender was still sleeping.She had to wake her up.They had to get out of here!

"Lavender!Wake up!This room is on fire!" Hermione sputtered, smoke clogging her nostrils.The Flame-Freezing charm was forgotten.

"LAVENDER!" She yelled.Lavender sat up, seeing her room and possessions in flames, and screamed, jumping out of her bed, holding onto Hermione like a child to a rag doll.

"We've got to get out of here!" Hermione directed.

"But my makeup!And clothes and…My stuff!It'll be ruined!"

"We need to get out of here!Perform the Flame-Freezing Charm, but remember, smoke can still get to you!" Hermione said, ushering Lavender out the door, doing the spell.Parvati was sleeping in the Astrology Tower with some of her friends to see the meteor shower.She was so lucky.

Hermione flung open the door to be greeted by swirling smoke.She couldn't see five feet in front of her.Stumbling blindly down the stairs, she looked around the room, tripping over a chair. Ginny ran by her, her flaming red hair following.Flaming… her hair!It was on fire! 

"Ginny!" She sputtered."Ginny!" She tried again.Ginny just kept running.

Getting up, she couldn't find the portrait hole!Everything was going in circles, and she was coughing.She couldn't see, where was the portrait hole?Everyone was yelling…

Hermione passed out then and there.Her eyes closed and she fell to the ground, but as she did, someone picked her up… That was the last thing she acknowledged before all was black…

***

"She's coming 'round!" Someone said loudly. There was a shuffling of feet, and people crowded around her.

Hermione groaned.Her eyes stung badly, her voice hurt from yelling, and everything spun in circles around her.Steadying herself, she slowly sat up.Her back was terribly sore, and her hands and arms hurt very badly.

"What is going on?" She said slowly, disliking the sound of her own voice.

"Thank God you're alive…I was worried about you." Harry said, crouched over her.

Looking around, she realized she was in the hall outside the hospital.There were people everywhere…families crowded around children.Lavender was crying into Ron's shoulder, shrieking every few minutes.

"Ginny!Her hair is on fire!It's-" Hermione stammered, sitting up promptly, coughing a bit.

"I'm here." Ginny said, sadly.Her normal waist length hair was scorched to her shoulders, uneven lengths with the tips black and singed.

"Oh Ginny!I'm so sorry, I tried to warn you!" Hermione cried, pulling her friend into a hug.

"It's alright.At least it didn't burn farther…It's good that you're alive.We were all worried for a few hours, it's been a while, Hermione." Ginny said, running her fingers through her hair.

"Is everyone okay?No one, died, right?" Hermione scanned her friend's faces, looking for something…Was it guilt?Or sadness, maybe?

"We don't know yet.They're still pummeling through the wreckage…" Harry said, glumly.

"What happened to the tower?And my stuff!All my books, clothes, diaries…What happened to them?" Hermione pleaded her friends as if they could do something about it.

"Parts of the tower has collapsed.Yours was one of the firsts…it's good that you got out as soon as you did or…" He didn't have to finish.

"Parvati!What happened to Parvati?" Doris, a member of the Astrology Club that was sleeping in the tower, asked frantically, running through the crowded hallway.

"Parvati is with you." Hermione said shortly.

"No, no…She went back to her room because she didn't feel like sleeping on a stone floor!Where is she?" She asked, panicking beyond control.

Guilt like no other slammed into Hermione's mind.Parvati had gone back to bed, and Hermione hadn't realized…She was responsible for her friend's death.

"NO!" She wailed, falling to her knees, hands to her face, tears streaming out.The others tried to comfort and control her, but she stood up, and ran.

Ran away from the guilt of death.Regret would follow her around forever.She ran away from all the things that would never change because of that fire.She ran away from the smoke that clouded her mind.She sprinted across the quidditch field, stopping by the broom shed. She was stealing a broom and flying far away from here.

_Stealing…_A voice rang in her head._You've never done that before! Running away from your problems instead of facing them?You coward.That's all you are anyway… a coward._

__"No…" She sobbed, hanging her head.The voice was right.She was a coward.A guilty coward destroyed by love and bound by fear.She got on that broom, and flew across the wreckage, swooping down on a particularly large stone.Dusting it off a bit, she recognized permanent marker writing on it.Dusting off more and more, she read.

_Lily and Tina _

_Best Friends for Life!_

_If I live you live to be a hundred_

_I want to live a hundred minus one day_

_So I never have to live without you-_

_Winnie the Pooh_

_1968_

Underneath it, it read, in handwriting she recognized:

_Hermione Granger_

_Lavender Brown_

_Parvati Patil_

_Chance made us roommates_

_Love made us friends_

_BFF and Ever_

_2001_

That was a piece of her room.She remembered the night, it was just a couple years ago, that they stayed up late eating junk food, which was amazing for Lavender, talking about life, love, and whatever came along the way.Lavender had a permanent marker, so they signed their names on the wall, writing a message like the people did above them.It had never struck Hermione that it may be Harry's mother that had written that, so many years ago, she just remembered how exciting and daring it was…damaging school property!Those were the days…

Hermione rummaged through the rubble, seeing if other bits and pieces of her life were in there also.Lavender's makeup case was still barely intact; her diary from the fourth year was half burnt and scarred.She realized she needed something to carry this all in.Flying back to the hall, memories came flooding back to her.

Parvati Patil was dead.

***

Almost the entirety of Gryffindor were on their hands and knees, digging, removing, and collecting objects to put in the "Found" pile on the grounds.It had become an obsession; Hermione had started it, finding not only a makeup case and diary, but clothing, books, and inkwells… things that weren't eaten up by flames.Someone had found part of the most prized couch in the common room, and several portraits were still intact.

Parvati's body had not been found, however.

Thousands of questions arose.Did she get lost on her way there in the dark, and is still wandering the lost passageways of the school?Was her body burned to a crisp before the tower fell?Was it still down there, under stone and possessions?Or was she hiding, away from the fire she didn't know has been put out?

But if she were alive, wouldn't she be here now, digging alongside she and Lavender?If Parvati were alive, would this nagging guilt fill Hermione's mind like a haze?So many what-ifs, only one answer.

A glint.That's what Hermione saw…As she got closer, it began to gleam, sparkle, and shine brilliantly in the midday sun.Pushing away the dust and dirt, she picked up the object, and began to cry.Was it a happiness cry?Yes, it must have been.The tears washed away the grime on the stones, and it shone brighter than ever.And she cried.

She cried for everyone's sake… for those whose objects weren't found.She bawled for her own sake, for the guilt that followed her around like a puppy.Hermione sobbed because the tears washed away her cover-ups, her masks, and her makeup.The tears made her real self arise.She wasn't going to pretend everything was okay, because it wasn't.

She cried because she had found the necklace Harry gave her.

***

"Ahem!" Dumbledore tapped his wand on the podium.

Everyone drifted his or her attention to him.

"Everyone knows of the fire in the Gryffindor common room.A candlestick left burning on the mantle fell over, burning the rugs, which quickly spread, causing it.The stones of the tower are old, and fire made it unstable.The entire tower collapsed, but is being rebuilt momentarily by magic.It will take about a month, to build it and put the necessary charms on it."

Hermione gazed wide-eyed at Harry, who gazed back.She felt it.She had felt the burning hot of that particular candlestick, and saw the common room in flames…She had predicted the future, and they both knew it.

"Now for the statistics.We have 5 dead, 11 seriously wounded.The funeral for those who have died will be held Sunday, near the lake.Those people are; Frank Foret, a 2nd year, Charlotte Aura, a fifth year, Ava Mouscouri, a third year, Robert Doffen, a first year, and Parvati Patil, a seventh year.We invite all of you to come if you wish.It's at 6 o'clock, on Sunday.Thank you."

And all this time Hermione thought that Parvati might be alive.It was a mockery.A complete and innocent mockery.She had betrayed herself, made her believe that she was still alive, but she wasn't.It was all her fault.All of it.

Parvati Patil was gone from their lives forever.

***

Aurora Boredacci felt it in her bones.The thing that bound them to their misery was gone.Gone!Forever!

She tried it.Squashing a bug with her fingers, she laughed, gleefully.Diving into the sparkling waters of the Atlantic, she swam towards the other side of the shores, where she would lead her group to freedom and evil

Red hair as red as blood, eyes as yellow as gold, she climbed ashore on the island, greeting all that surrounded her with a force none other could compare.She was the original, she was the one forced to sign it, she was the power, the evil, the fear.

"My fellow comrades." She hissed, a glint in her eyes unmistakable for death; "Do you feel it?"

Aurora looked around to her people.The black and purple flowing cloak she wore swirled around her in the breeze.No one dare speak.

"The treaty has been burned.We are free to run away from here.We are free to kill!"Aurora rubbed the lime green crystal ball that sat atop her long black wooden scepter.It began to glow; a swirling mist escaping from it, proving that Aurora was back, and ready for the death of the good and pure.She was more powerful than the most evil wizard ever lived, more venomous than a poisonous snake, and had an evilness that became her aura, hence her name.

No other Vixen could compare. 

A/N: Oooh, spookiness!Maybe possibly hopefully?I know…I KILLED PARVATI!!!Sorry y'all, but it had to be done.We'll see where this brings us.What do you think of Aurora?Scary enough?REVIEW PLEASE!!!Thanx!

Disclaimer: All Harry Potter characters, places, and things belong to J. K. Rowling, and Bloomsbury Press.Don't sue please, I'm on my knees, I'm begging you, PLEASE DON'T SUE!

Turning Back the Hands of Time 7/?

Subtitled: Wishes, Black Dresses, and Geothermal Heat

"No." Lavender said loudly.

"Yes!" Ron demanded through pursed lips.

"It's Gorgon's Blood, not the Gordian Tree Root!" Lavender demanded, reaching for the vile.

"No, I specifically heard Snape say it was Gordian Tree Root." Ron stopped her hand.

"Well I am positive-" Lavender started.  
"Having problems, Miss Brown, Mister Weasley?" Snape asked coldly.

"No." "Yes!" They said at the same time, glaring at the other.

"Aren't we violent!" Snape cackled.He snapped his fingers. "Crabbe?Goyle?Please take these two troublemakers to my office…"

"NO!" They said in unison.

"This is all your fault." Ron said to her.

"You are such a child!Blaming everything on me!" Lavender furrowed her brow.

"Child!I'm not the one who's a shrimp!At least I don't look like a child!" He retorted menacingly.

"Is it my fault I'm vertically challenged?I don't think so!At least I'm more mature than you!"

"You call this mature?"

At that point, the giants Crabbe and Goyle began to drag them kicking and flailing their arms out of the way.

"THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT!" They screamed, lunging for the other.

Throughout the halls, you could hear them screaming.When the slamming of Snape's doorway to his office cut through the air, everything was quiet once again.

Harry and Hermione sighed in unison.It was two days before Parvati's funeral, and all were tense.Everyone thought they were to blame.

The tower was going up more quickly than they expected.They would be planning on living in it again in three days.All the beds would be in order, and everyone' s belongings have been shipped of to be restored… At least, the stuff that remained.Everything that they had left would be put exactly as it was before the fire.Lavender and Hermione would have a room to themselves.There was no point in replacing someone.The bed would still be there, exactly how it was, however.

Hermione knew that Ron and Lavender were both incorrect.It was the Gorgon Tree Root Pulp.How's that for a Jeopardy question?

The day passed by slower than ever.Weekend meant freedom, but they had to work for it, sure enough.They had enough homework to last them a lifetime, even if the funeral was Sunday.The teachers didn't really care, except for Flitwick and McGonagall.They gave them nothing but a sigh.

Lavender and Ron skidded around each other in the hallway, after getting an hour-long detention with Snape.

Walking into the Great Hall, side by side, Lavender stopped Hermione at the entrance.

"Play along." She demanded. Hermione shrugged.Lavender proceeded to make a series of funny muffled noises in Hermione's ear and then in the middle yelled "RON WEASLEY!" Then made some more funny sounds.

Hermione laughed."O-kay!" She said, walking over to the table.

"Hun, you're no actress." Lavender followed.

Harry had the joy of sitting between the two opposing magnets.

"Tell Lavender she's such a preschooler." Ron said to Harry.

"Ron says you're such a preschooler." His job was the messenger for the entire dinner.

"Well tell him if he hadn't argued with me on the potion then we wouldn't have detention tonight!" Lavender said as-a-matter-of-fact-ly.

"But you were both wrong!" Harry pointed out.

"Well, tell him that anyway." Lavender said nonchalantly.

"Lavender says-." Harry started, but was interrupted by Ron leaning forward.

"You were wrong though!" Ron said, furrowing his brow.

"Well so were you!" Lavender said smugly.

"Well-!" Ron stood up, but Harry pushed him back down.

"Hermione, will you trade me places?" He asked, giving her a puppy face.

"Not even for a puppy face, Harry.Not for a million galleons." She laughed.

"I'd do it for a million galleons, but no less!" Seamus said eagerly.

"Sorry, I don't have a million galleons, I'll stay where I am, thanks." He sat down, reaching for a bread stick.

"Those have 5 grams of saturated fat in them, you know." Lavender pointed out, wrinkling her nose.

"I think I'll risk a heart attack on this one." He said, taking a large bite and internally laughing at the look on Lavender's face.

"Parvati's funeral is Sunday." Hermione said sadly.

"What are you wearing?" Lavender asked eagerly.

"Black." Hermione gave her the best "obvious" look she could manage.

"Oh yeah.Duh!I knew that!" She giggled hesitantly.

"I can't believe she's gone." Dean shook his head.

"All my fault." Everyone said under their breath.

"At least nothing will go wrong at her funeral, eh?Nothing." Harry said, reassuringly.

I suppose he forgot about Murphy's Law.

***

It was a silent day at the castle.The wind dare not whisper, and the trees couldn't rustle.Speaking was slim to none, as everyone spent most of their time cooped up in their guestrooms provided for them.The sky outside was a dull gray, and rain was imminent.Even God was going to cry at Parvati's funeral.

Lavender sat on her bed with the drapes of her canopy pulled to the sides.However cold it may have been outside, it was quite humid and everyone was trying to escape the heat inside.As the castle had no thermostat, a freak of geothermal nature was cooking the entire place.Hermione and Lavender were wearing spaghetti strap tank tops with itty-bitty shorts that barely used half a yard of fabric.However normal this was for Lavender, it was one of the firsts for Hermione.She had to admit it was quite comfortable, however.

Lavender lay on her bed, her shoulder length blonde hairs sticking to the back of her neck, waving a paper fan at her face.

"That really doesn't work you know.It takes enough effort to heat you up and tire your arms making and waving it to overpower the amount of air produced." Hermione drawled.Lavender sighed.

"Too bad." She snapped.

Hermione took no offense to Lavender's attitude.She was quite high-strung herself, just didn't have the energy or will to show it.

"I'm going to lunch.Maybe it's cooler in the Great Hall?" Hermione put her hands on her hips.

"I'm coming.Just give me a second." Lavender began to wipe off her face.

"I'm leaving with or without you." Hermione cocked her eyebrow, waiting for her response.

"Fine.Here I come." Lavender put down the compact.

Hermione opened the door quickly, basking in the milliseconds of air that it brought.

She passed through the common room looking like something else was on her mind.She loved to act like she had somewhere important to go, when she did not.It boosted her self-esteem.

"Hermione!" Harry stepped in front of her.

"Oh, hey Harry!" She smiled, Lavender twirled her hair, looking around.

"RON!" She squealed, running up to him."Listen."

"I am-" Ron started.

"So-" 

"SORRY!" They said in unison.

"Thank God that's out!" Lavender said, squeezing him into a hug.

"You look nice!" Harry said, surveying Hermione's outfit.

"Hermione's turned into a hoochie-mama!" Ron said, grinning ear to ear.

"Look at your girlfriend!" Hermione exclaimed, putting her hands on her hips.Everyone laughed."Just trying to escape the heat."

"We all are.Actually, we were just heading down to the Great Hall…You wouldn't want to come. Would you?" Lavender asked.

"We'd love to." Harry said for the both of them.It was quite true, though; they were trying to go somewhere just as much as anyone does.

Were they really trying to escape the heat?Or was it something else that was more persistent, nagging, and painful?Something that caused everyone to tense up at the name…You could see everyone tighten their neck muscles as they tried to squeak out something to say about it.

"It".That's what Parvati had become.She wasn't a person anymore; she was a tragedy story in the making.She was a thing now… and nothing more.

Walking into the Great Hall, they saw something that brought their spirits down to ground level.Everyone was preparing for the funeral reception.They had totally forgotten that it would have been in the Great Hall, but it was obvious.Where else would it be?

Lavender burst into tears instantly.As Ron tried to comfort her, Harry and Hermione slid away, trying to find some peace and quiet, although most of the castle was.

"Harry…" Hermione started.

"I know, I know…" Harry comforted.

"No you don't!I didn't see her!I should have checked…I SHOULD HAVE CHECKED!" Hermione screamed, sobbing into his shoulder.

Harry didn't flinch when she screamed and cried.He understood.He seemed to understand everything, and be able to pull through it easily.It was so easy for him.So easy… on the outside.

He patted her shoulder, pulling her close.She shrieked occasionally, trying to work everything out.This was the thing that brought her over her head.So many emotional things had happened this year.Going out with Harry, getting mad at Harry, Lavender and Ron as a couple…And now Parvati died?It just wasn't fair.Nothing seemed to be, lately.

"I just wish I could see her one last time…Tell her some stuff…Last words, kind of thing, I suppose.I just wish…" Hermione choked.

"We all do, Hermione.We all do." He reminded her.They now had people staring at them, circling them.It was always strange to see Hermione cry.She was always so uptight and collected; she didn't seem to have time for it!

But they were oblivious to the other people.Oblivious to other things, too…

"So you're supposed to be the head honcho, eh?" Aurora taunted an old man, whose hair was thinning and skin was rough.She was ever young, and proud of it.

"Ha, it couldn't be.This is what all the people are scared of?An old saggy man?" She taunted again.The man buried his face in his hands, and muttered something inaudible.

"What was that?" She asked.

"P-p-p." He stammered.

"Speak up, old man, or die trying." She warned.

"Potter." He said, standing up, growling softly.

"Who?" She asked, wondering if her ears were playing tricks on her.

"Harry Potter.Stole my powers, made me… He turned me into this wretched thing whose hopelessness is unmatched.I was powerful, you know." The man said defensively.

"Well Lord Voldemort.I'm pleased to meet you.I am Aurora Boredacci.Ever heard of me?" She asked, not daring to give him her hand.

"The vixen?" He asked, paling a few shades.

"The one and only!You may know me, but other people don't.They know you though, right?" She hissed.

"Who does not, I wouldn't know." He muttered.

"Well, are you an actor?" She asked, gleefully.

"This is irrelevant." He said, not daring to look at her straight in the eye.

"Nothing is irrelevant." She said sternly, silencing him instantly.

"It depends on the part." He said.

"I want you to play you. But I need you to act as if you are back in full power, and I am your co-leader, as you would say.Threaten, back stab, I don't care.Just make me the ruler of the wizarding world." She demanded.

"And if I don't?" He asked.

"There are fates worse than death waiting in Azkaban." She said, hinting that she could turn him in now in a second.

"I thought your breath paralyzes other people." He said, more of a question than a statement.

"The almost immortal have no need of breath.I take it or leave it, and don't use it unless I need to.I have so much more power than you do; you won't know what hit you.And they thought women were useless in Medieval times…" She snickered.

"Then, yes, I will.What do you need…" He asked.

She looked at him sternly, waiting for him to go on.

"Your highness." He spat bitterly, gritting his teeth and mentally slapping himself for incompetence.

"Good…step number one completed.First, you'll need followers.I'll be right alongside you.Don't worry about looking at me…I will provide a shield for you.But understand and know, I could kill you in a matter of seconds." She said menacingly.

"Understood." He was the slave, for the first time in his life.

***

"This one or this one?" Lavender asked, holding up two black dresses.

"I like the other one…You bought it a while ago for any special occasions…You remember?" Hermione asked, sitting on her bed.

"It was…burned." Lavender said sadly.Most of her clothes were destroyed.It was the same with Hermione, and many others.

"Oh.Well, I guess that one." Hermione pointed to the dress in her left hand.

"Too bad, I like this one better." She flopped the dress in her right hand on her bed, and put the other one back in the closet.

Hermione sighed."Then why did you ask my opinion anyway?" She asked, irritably.

"So you could agree with me, which you didn't, so it doesn't matter, does it?" Lavender snapped.

Hermione walked into the bathroom and put on her dress, twirling a bit, making sure it swirled around her.She hated dresses that stuck to you tightly, where it didn't flow or anything.

"I could really use some of Parvati's makeup right now." Hermione sighed, stepping out of the bathroom.

Parvati had almost the same colorings as Hermione.Both tanned easily, and had dark brown hair, so they shared most of the same makeup.Lavender was paler, yet still tanned, but had blonde hair, and a very different taste in makeup.

"I could just use Parvati herself!" Lavender sighed, sadly.

Hermione chose to say nothing.Putting on a light coat of makeup, just enough to make her look better, she walked out of her guest room and into the common room, where she flopped on the loveseat, making sure her hair didn't get messed up.

The black veil she wore floated down around her face perfectly, like a shield from the world.It about fifteen minutes, she would be going outside to get a good seat for it.She was going to see one of her best friends laid to rest, right on these grounds.

She was going to meet Parvati's twin, who she didn't talk about much, and her parents, who were divorced.It was all so new for Hermione…She had never been to a funeral before.She never knew her grandparents, who died before she was born, and everyone else that she cared for hadn't died… until now.

Someone lifted up her veil, and peeked underneath.It was Harry, with a smiling, yet puzzled, face.

"Well, I know this is the highlight of your day!" He said sarcastically.

"You betcha!" She said in reply, sitting up so there was room for him to sit next to her.

"Were you waiting for me?" He asked, sitting down.

"I was waiting for someone to save my life.I guess you'll do!" She smiled sweetly, knowing both statements were true.

"Well, we better get a move on, we want good seats, right?" He stood up and gave her his hand.

"I suppose so." She replied, and they made their way out of the portrait hole.

***

And they lowered the casket into the ground.

Filling it with dirt, everyone sighed in unison.This was the last time they'd ever see any remnant of the wonderful girl.The others that died were also being buried, but in different areas.This was Parvati's spot.A sacred place, meant only for her and the earth.

No one moved.Lavender shed a silent tear that fell into the hole that was being filled.

Prunella, Parvati's twin, turned around and began to walk away.Hermione gasped in shock.No wonder Parvati didn't talk about her much!Prunella was rude, insensitive, and didn't truly care about her sister.No wonder she had never met her before.

But this was a turning point for everyone else.They began to turn and slowly walk away.Even her parents departed quickly.Hermione turned to Harry, her eyes filled with question.Did they not care?Weren't they sad?Shouldn't they stay?

Only Harry, Hermione, Ron, Lavender, and the people filling the grave were left, standing around the edge.For a moment, Hermione thought she may fall in, into the depths of her mind, hiding into the black corners where all her secrets and confessions lie.And she would be buried, filled with dirt, so they would never have to see her again.

Harry put his arm around her protectively, as if reading her mind.She sobbed, and closed her eyes, wishing it were all just a dream.Just a horrible dream…Just a nightmare.

"We better go." He whispered in her ear.

Hermione rose her head, looking from him, to Lavender, where she had black streams of mascara running down her cheeks.Hermione wiped her face off self-consciously, knowing that she too had black mascara dripping.

"I suppose." The four turned, and slowly made their way to the Great Hall.

***

"Your things have been moved to your room.You may sleep there tonight." McGonagall informed the four that were leaving the reception.

"Thank you, Professor." Lavender replied.They made their way to the common room, and sighed gratefully, knowing that they would have their own room back.

"Goodnight." Hermione said, making her way up the stairs.She stopped, turning around, and running back down them, into Harry's arms, where he held her close.

She broke free."Goodnight, but not goodbye." She whispered, and let go, slowly climbing up the stairs once again.He did the same.

"Lavender, are you coming?We should open this together!I hope they restored all that they could!" Hermione called.Lavender raced up the stairs, and they pushed open the door together.

Hermione gasped.It was almost exactly like it was before the fire.It was almost perfect.Rummaging through her drawers, she found her diary, good as new, and a bunch of her makeup.

Hermione turned to look around, and gasped.

"Lavender…" She said shakily.

"What?" She turned around.

"Look." Hermione demanded, pointing towards Parvati's bed.

Lavender gasped.

"Is it…?" She asked.

"Yes." Hermione nodded.

In Parvati's bed, was a sleeping ghost.

"It's Parvati." 

A/N: So did you like it?I hope so!Well, part eight will be the beginning of the end…I hope to finish by around part ten!So tell me what you think, by REVIEWING!Thank you ever so!

Disclaimer: Harry Potter and Co. belong to J. K. Rowling and Bloomsbury Press.Don't sue!

Turning Back the Hands of Time Part 8/?

A/N: Don't get me wrong, I don't necessarily want to get hooked on this, but I am finally free from the bindings of my expressions: writers block. Yeah, it's been 5+ months since I've written part of this, so you BETTER LIKE IT! No, j/j, but if you read it, review it! It's not that hard and it brightens my days! Thanks!

The ghost slept peacefully, obviously reenacting the scene where she died, except there was something different about her… besides the obvious transparent thing. She clutched something in her hand. Hermione went closer.

"Parvati all right. Knew the bugger would come back and see us!" Lavender said, moving towards the ghost.

Hermione and Lavender inched closer, until they were only a foot away. At that moment, Parvati yawned loudly and rolled over, a scroll tumbling out of her hand onto the floor. 

"Oh my god!" Hermione said, grabbing the scroll. Upon opening it, Parvati vanished, her purpose complete, to go on to heaven. 

A magnificent glowing white parchment unfolded in Hermione's hands, and writing began to appear gracefully on the paper in black ink. She and Lavender read it to themselves, slowly, for comprehension. It read:

Danger lies before you,

Betrayal lies behind,

You have no choice, just take my word,

Turn back the hands of time.

Cannon fires and sorcerers 

Amidst the encircling gloom,

Turn back the hands of time, m'dear!

Your other clocks strike doom.

So when all seems like chaos,

And plans have gone astray,

Turn back the hands of time, m'dear!

And yesterday can be today.

"What the he-" Lavender started, but Hermione elbowed her sharply.

"Don't you see?" Hermione asked, eyes wide.

"No." She replied simply.

"It's a warning sent from heaven! Something _bad_ is going to happen! I'm beginning to guess war… But besides that, it's confusing. I'll save it-" At that second, the scroll folded itself tightly, wrapped itself in a red ribbon, and vanished promptly. "Nevermind then." She sighed.

"Wait a minute… did you say war?" Lavender asked.

"Yeah." Hermione said. "Probably between dark and light sides… oh my gosh. My visions!"

"Exactly." Lavender replied. 

"Did ye hear?" The man said to the other. He was on his twelfth shot of rum, with haggard black eyed and red scraggly hair. His nose seemed abnormally large on his round face, creased with lines of age. He chuckled heartily when the man sitting next to him looked around in confusion.

"Yes, you!" He slapped the other man's back. "Did ye hear? BLAH-snuffle-abudabuh-CHOO!" He sneezed the oddest sneeze anyone in the bar had ever heard. "'Scuse me. Anyway, go on."

"Hear what?" The other man replied warily.

"'E dark lord! 'E's back! Mo' pow'rful than evah. I'd watch yer back if I was you." He whispered. 

"Dark lord? You mustn't mean-" The other man gasped in shock.

"He-who-must-not-be-named? Sure do! Haha… He's out to get them all. All of them… all of them…" That was when the poor drunkard passed out.

_Fool! _The other man thought, _must think he's in the seventies or something. The Dark Lord is dead. _He glanced at his rum. _Or was a potion in the drink? Nah… _ He left briskly, leaving a small tip for the bartender, and never telling a soul what he heard. He never had the chance.

In the shadows, a-creature was a-lurking. This would be the perfect one: a strong, muscular mage. Yes, yes, this would be the one.

Like a hawk, the vixen swept past. No physical fighting could take place, the vixen would definitely lose, but she looked at him directly, and to his mistake, he looked back. He fell backwards and hit his head on the log behind him. _Oooh, _she thought, _double-stuff knock out._

She snapped her fingers once, twice, thrice, and three men appeared next to her. No words were exchanged; they understood. In a flash they were gone, leaving no trail behind them, shooting through space like no other.

One person saw them leave, but don't assume this boy was all good and kind hearted. No, not at all. In fact, he might just go and join them.

"What," She snapped, "is your name?"

"Dear lord, you know bloody well my name. I don't see why you've got me here. Are you going to turn me over to the ministry or not?"

"An enemy to the ministry? Damn!" She swore. "Not good, not good!"

She whipped around to face him again. "What," she snapped, "is your quest?"

"What the heck? You going to start asking me about swallows next or something?" He twisted his face with sarcasm.

"Ooh! African or English?" She replied with all seriousness. To her surprise, he laughed aloud.

"Funny, funny. Now am I supposed to say 'I don't know!' and you'll throw me into a pit? Please. Just call the ministry, this is pointless. Not saying I _want_ to be turned in, but all this questioning is no fun."

The red-haired woman turned around and walked out the door, slamming it behind her. She faced her co-worker.

"Now _who_ is _he_? He says he's an enemy of the ministry!"

"Oh, him? _Him?_ You just _had_ to pick _him_ didn't you? If he is slaughtered, the world will _rejoice!_ Let him go." 

"But-" she sputtered.

"You didn't tell you who you were, did you? Please, we don't kill for fun, we kill for politics." 

"Fine, _dark lord, _you'd best be right." She came back moments later, the prisoner gone.

"Well who was it?" She asked.

"Our prisoner? That was Sirius Black, Aurora. Sirius Black."

"But now I'm strong-er than yesterday!" Lavender sang at the top of her lungs.

"Lav, would you please?" Harry asked. "Everyone is staring at us!"

"My loneliness ain't killing me no more! I'm… I'm… STRO-NGER!" She sang even louder. 

"Good God, Lavender! Are you stronger than two full-grown seventeen year olds?" She stopped abruptly. "That's what I thought."

"I thought you had three homework assignments to get finished anyway! You don't have time for that kind of thing!" Hermione said in all seriousness.

"Finished!" She chirruped. 

"Me too." Hermione put down her quill. "It's almost time for dinner. Must get ready." She pushed back her chair with a squeal. Lavender did the same.

Once in their dorms, Hermione was reapplying mascara and eyeshadow. Lavender decided it was a good time to ask… if she got too mad, she would screw up her makeup.

"Hey Herm?" She asked tentatively, "Did you ever talk to Cho about… the incident?"

"Heh heh heh…" She smiled malevolently. "I told her, 'I know you just can't wait till I'm away from him! Instinctively, I know what you're thinkin'! You'll be giving him an open invitation- that my baby won't be takin'!" She sang, then turned to her, "Oh, then I cussed her out. And you wondered how she got the black eye?"

Lavender gasped, "You _didn't_!"

"You're right! That wasn't me!" she smiled. "That was Ginny. Violent, really…"

Lavender giggled, then recomposed herself. "Have you told Harry about the parchment? It's pretty serious. He would know all about that."

"No, not yet. I'll tell him tonight, probably. Life is just too good today to ruin it." She popped up and reached for the door, then stopped. "Anything else?"

"No, no… Just a bit worried, that's all."

"Okay then." She left her there.

Hermione walked down the steps and through the portrait hole. Only three feet from the exit, a tall, open window stood on an outside wall. Glancing briefly outside, she saw a flash of hundreds of women, all with red hair. Looking more carefully, they were gone. 

"Hermione," she said to herself, "No more Britney Spears songs in your presence while you're hungry."

No, Britney Spears wasn't the cause of this one (though I do believe she's actually a walking plastic Barbie doll created by the government to raise money so they can lower taxes). Something much more supernatural was amidst, she just hadn't realized it.

Haha!Publishers, you know the drill.It sure isn't mine!(It sounds like I'm talking about a baby…lol)

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